Vacation
by prettylittlewriter16
Summary: Maya can't seem to escape her past, especially when her past shows up at a Florida beach house.
1. Chapter 1

Joshaya- For Halee

"Maya, wake up. We're here," My mom reaches over to me and shakes me gently.

I groggily open my eyes and squint at the bright afternoon sunlight through the car window. As my eyes adjust to the light, I'm able to make out the blue two story house that we're parked in front of.

Every winter, my mom and I visit the Matthews' beach house in Florida for winter break. Because it's Florida,

the winter is way warmer than New York.

Riley and I always share the cute attic room with two beds and a dusty old dollhouse that we don't have the heart to get rid of. Corey and Topanga take the master bedroom, my mom sleeps on the sofa/bed, and Auggie gets a room all to himself.

I pull my headphones out of my ears and open the car door, stepping out onto the hot Florida concrete and looking up at the large beach house.

"Peaches!" I hear Riley's voice, and see her standing on the front porch with a huge grin.

"Riles!" I exclaim in reply, holding my arms open for the inevitable bear hug. She runs to me and envelopes me in her arms.

"I'm so glad you're here. It's been so boring these past few hours. Auggie and Josh won't stop-" Riley begins.

"Wait, Josh?" I interrupt. He's staying with us?

"You didn't know? He came with us this year," Riley tilts her head to the side questioningly.

I shake my head in reply, my mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out. Suddenly, my heart starts pounding and I begin to overly analyze everything. Did I pack cute clothes? Was it a good idea to pack my purple bikini or should I have brought the white one instead? I should have brought cuter pajamas!

"Peaches!" I'm brought back to reality by Riley snapping her fingers in front my face.

"Sorry," I shake my head and brush the hair out of my face sheepishly.

"Maya?"

I whip my head up and stare in shock at Josh. He's standing on the porch with a lopsided grin, his hands in his jean pockets and his hair as perfect as ever. Why does he have to look so good? It makes everything so much harder.

"Boing," I reply nervously, trying for a casual smile, but it comes out more like an uncomfortable statement.

"Haven't seen you in a while," He scratches the back of his neck.

"Yeah, not since.." I trail off, fidgeting with my shirt and biting my lip, trying not to say what we're both thinking. I hadn't seen him since our breakup.

 _"Hey. It's me again. I've called you about a million times and I'm starting to get worried. Please call me back," I bite my lip and hang up the phone. Plopping down on the couch of Josh's dorm, my mind starts thinking of all the places he could be._

 _"Maya?"_

 _I shoot up from my seat, standing face to face with Josh._

 _"Where have you been? We had a date an hour ago!" I say angrily._

 _"I'm really sorry, Maya. I forgot I had to make up a test, and then the professor wanted to look over my notes. I lost track of time," He shrugs._

 _"That's the third time this week, Josh. You can't keep blowing me off like this! If you have school stuff, fine. But don't make plans with me and pretend you're gonna show up." I grab my bag and head out the door, but he grabs my arm to stop me._

 _"M, c'mon. I'll make it up to you. We can just cuddle and watch a movie," He gestures to the couch with a pleading expression._

 _"No. I've given you so many chances and you let me down every time." I quickly wipe away the tears beginning to cloud my vision. "It's over, Josh." My voice breaks._

 _"What? Maya, no!" He takes my hands in his and pulls me into his arms. I shakily bring his lips to mine and then pull away, rushing out the door with tears dripping down my cheeks._

"So... How have you been?" He asks, slowly going down the stairs towards me.

"Fine. What about you?"

"I've been... okay. I guess." He tries.

"Good. I'll go get my bags," I say to end this very uncomfortable conversation.

"It's okay, I'll bring them in," He jumps in quickly, rushing over to the car and pulling out my suitcase and duffel bag.

"Thanks," I force a smile, and we both head into the beach house to join everyone else.

"Peaches! Go put your stuff in the room and then get your swimsuit on. We're gonna welcome you here with a proper beach bonfire," Riley smiles at me from the kitchen, popping a marshmallow into her mouth and completely unaware of the tension between me and Josh.

"Are you okay?" Riley asks, fiddling with the knot on her peach-colored triangle bikini.

"Not really," I sigh, adjusting my light blue strapless swimsuit. "It's hard to see him after what happened two months ago."

"Aw, I'm sorry. But at the bonfire, you don't even have to look at him. And I'll be with you the whole time," Riley pats me reassuringly.

"What are you wearing over your bikini?" She asks, pulling on a white cover-up.

"I'll just go like this," I answer, too distracted to pick out outfit.

"Girls!" Topanga calls from downstairs.

"Coming!" Riley answers, linking her arm with mine and pulling me down the stairs.

"The sun is setting! Everyone is already outside watching it," Topanga points to the private section of beach in the back of the house, and Riley quickly guides me outside and onto the sand.

Cory, Auggie, and Josh have some plastic chairs and are sitting around the little fire, their seats facing the ocean.

Riley takes the open chair next to Auggie, leaving me with no choice but to sit in the chair next to Josh.

"Hey," He says quietly.

"Hey." I answer, crossing my arms over my exposed stomach and trying to make myself as small as possible.

"Are you cold?" He asks, noticing my position.

"A little bit." I say with a small smile.

"Here," He pulls off his hoodie and hands it to me, and I wrap it around my body gratefully. Now that the sun has gone down, there's a chilly breeze blowing through the night air.

"The stars are so pretty," Riley says in awe, gazing at the sky sprinkled with little faraway lights.

"They are," Josh says, and I turn my head to see him looking directly at me with an expression on his face that I've never seen before.

We stay like that for a moment, looking into each other's eyes but not saying anything. We both know that once either one of us speaks, the moment will be over.

"I missed you," he whispers, only loud enough for me to hear, and those three words make me almost faint. It's amazing the kind of power he has over me.

"I..." I breathe quietly, trying to calm my racing heartbeat.

"You don't have to say anything." He smiles sadly before leaning his head back to look at the stars.

"Get up," Riley shakes my shoulders vigorously, abruptly waking me from an amazing dream.

"Ugh," I groan, shoving my face into me pillow and willing myself to relive the dream.

"You went to bed so late last night," Riley rolls her eyes at me.

"Wait, that wasn't a dream? We actually went to look at the stars?" I sit up straight.

"Um, yeah. Why would you think it was a dream?" Riley gives me a sideways look.

I collapse back onto the bed with a huge smile on my face. Joshua Matthews missed me.

I throw on shorts & a tank top and hurry down the stairs with Riley for breakfast. I slow down when I see Josh's bags on the counter and Josh putting stuff in them.

"What's going on?" I say, trying to seem as casual as possible.

"Josh said he couldn't stay for the rest of winter break." Topanga replies, sitting at the dining table.

"Why?" I ask in surprise.

"Maya, can I talk to you for a minute upstairs?" Josh motions to the staircase and I nod, my heart rate beginning to rise.

When we get to the top of the stairs, he turns to face me.

"I came here because I knew you would be here too." He blurts out.

"What?" I blink in shock.

"I only came here because I hoped you'd forgive me. But since you've been ignoring me, I decided to go back to NYU."

"Ignoring you? W-what are you talking about?" I shake my head in disbelief.

"You mean, you haven't been ignoring me?" He asks, a glimmer of hope in his tone.

"No, I would never ignore you." I say reassuringly, pulling him into a hug.

He's tense at first, but then he relaxes into my arms. He's wearing the cologne that I'd picked out for him at the mall so long ago.

"Maybe I won't leave just yet," He chuckles into my neck, his breath sending chills down my spine.

"Good."


	2. Chapter 2

It's Different Now.

 **A/N: Short but effective.**

It's been a whole eleven hours since I hugged Josh, and I don't think my heartbeat has slowed at all. The whole day was spent watching Christmas movies on the couch, which meant lots of quickly exchanged looks between us. Riley seemed to notice something was up, and she kept raising her eyebrows at me throughout the movies. I want to tell her more than anything, but I'm scared that if I say it out loud that I'll jinx it.

At dinner, nobody else seemed to notice anything different, and they all just ate their chicken and included us in their little conversations.

A couple times I caught Josh looking at me, but neither of us have been brave enough to say anything to the other.

As I'm putting on my pajamas, I can't help but feel a little disappointed. I'm scared to ruin this, but I really want him to say something to m

"Peaches, you've been acting weird all day. What's going on?" Riley plops herself down on my bed next to me.

I lean my head on her shoulder and sigh.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," I admit, although that's a vague statement to Riley.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll figure it out," Riley squeezes my shoulder comfortingly.

"Hey, remember when you came here once when we were nine?"

"Yeah?" I answer, lifting my head up to look at her.

"You got really homesick and you decided to swim in the pool. Why don't you do that? It'll clear your head," Riley shrugs with a smile, and I think it over in my head.

"That's not a bad idea, Riles." I grab my swimsuit and head into the bathroom to change, very ready to escape my problems in the water.

I gently push open the screen door leading onto the poolside area, being carefully quiet with my footsteps. I shrug off my bathrobe and let it fall to the ground, the cool night air brushing against my warm skin. I dip my toes into the heated pool and then slide in, the water surrounding me and putting me at ease.

I hold my breath and dip my head under the surface, feeling my nerves slowly fade.

I stay under for what feels like forever, even though it's only a few seconds.

I lay on my back, floating in the water with my eyes closed, my mind totally calm.

I only break out of my meditative state when I feel familiar fingers wrap around my hand.

"Josh?" I say softly, taken aback by the brown eyed boy standing next to me in the pool, his face glistening with water droplets.

"I remember you came here once. You were ten, and I saw you from the window. After what happened today, I thought it would be a good idea." He explains, his voice low to match the silence of the night. I hold my breath, unable to move or speak, only able to look into his eyes.

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about you," He whispers, slowly drifting towards me.

I inhale shakily, my heart pounding at the fact that his face is inches from mine, the fact that I can see every wet droplet on his face, the fact that he's looking at me in a way he never has before.

"Say something," He breathes, and I can feel his cool, minty breath on my skin, electrifying every nerve in my body.

"I don't know if I can," I hold my breath in fear of ruining this.

"Do you still..." He trails off, searching my eyes with his own.

"Yes." I whisper. _I do still want you._

Time seems to stop, and the only thing I can hear is our breathing mixed with the sound of the ocean in the distance.

His hand, still wrapped in mine, moves to his chest. He untangles his fingers from mine and leaves my hand on his heart, feeling every beat.

"I love you," He whispers into my ear, so quietly that it could have been the wind.

I inhale sharply, unable to move or even breathe, until I feel his lips on mine.

The way that he kisses me is liberating. I slip my hands around his neck, softly and slowly kissing Joshua Matthews, someone who I never thought would feel this way about me.

When we pull apart, he cups my face in his hands and just gazes at me, his mouth upturned into a smile that's worth a million dollars.

"I love you too," I smile back, lifting myself up to kiss him again.

"Easy there, princess," He chuckles into my lips, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I laugh, and it feels so right. I've never been this happy.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Slow Down

Happy Late Birthday Halee! 3

"Maya Penelope Hart!" Riley exclaims, her jaw dropping.

"Shh!" I look around anxiously.

"I cannot believe that you- that he- that you both-" Riley stutters, completely at a loss for words due to my story of what hamppened last night.

"I still can't believe it either," I sigh contentedly.

"Do I start calling you 'Auntie Maya' now?"

She laughs.

"The only thing is, now I don't know how to act. Does it mean we're back together?" I run my hands through my hair nervously.

"I mean, you did say the 'L' word. That kinda means you are back together."

"I just don't want to rush into it! Last time we couldn't wait to start dating and that didn't end well. I really, really want things to work this time."

"Of course you do. And it will work. Just make sure he knows you don't want to rush into things." Riley pats me on the back reassuringly.

"Okay." I breathe. "Thanks, niece." I grin, pulling her into a hug.

"Now I'm hungry. I'm gonna go grab an apple or something," I get up from my spot on the bed and go downstairs to the kitchen, hoping that Auggie hasn't finished all the food yet.

"Hey, Maya."

I whip around to see Josh in his adorable pajamas, smiling down at me with the cutest sleepy grin.

"Looking for food?" He gestures to the open pantry with a small chuckle.

"Maybe," I say, inching closer.

"Maybe you can fight off the hunger for a little while," He whispers with a smile, leaning down towards me.

I slip my hands around his neck and bring my lips to his, thoroughly enjoying the feel of his scruffy morning hair.

"Hold on," I pull back for a second, suddenly remembering my conversation with Riley.

"What's wrong?" He asks, his hands on my waist (it's very hard to concentrate when he does that).

"I really want this to work. Us, I mean. And I just don't want to rush into anything, because I'm scared that if we do then we'll-"

"Maya, Maya! Slow down," He says, amused.

"I'm serious! I don't want to move too fast," I cross my arms and raise my eyebrows at him.

"Okay, fine." He shrugs, stepping away from me and grabbing an apple from the bowl on the counter. Then he turns to me and leans on the fridge, slowly eating the apple without looking away.

"What are you doing?" I laugh.

"This is very serious stuff, Ms. Hart. We mustn't pass the speed limit." He wiggles his eyebrows at me in challenge.

"Maybe we can go slow tomorrow," I say impatiently, rushing over to him and pulling him into the tv room with my lips on his.

"Maya! We talked about this!" Riley shakes my shoulders aggressively as we sit on the back porch, our legs dangling over the edge.

"I couldn't help it!" I protest. "He started being all cute and goofy and I just had to."

Riley rolls her eyes at me and stares me down with a motherly look in her eyes.

"You want it to work this time, right?"

"Yes. Absolutely," I nod.

"Then you need to talk about all of the reasons you broke up."

I sigh discontentedly.

"Talking about our problems sounds like fun," I say sarcastically, but I know she's right. If we keep dating and ignore our problems, it'll only come back to hurt us.

"Fine. I'll go tell Josh right now", I lift myself up from my seat as Riley gives me a smile of approval.

"Tell me what?" Josh asks, leaning against the doorframe.

I look at Riley, and she immediately gets up and hurries into the house, closing the door behind her. Josh gives me a confused look.

"What were you gonna tell me?"

"I love you, and I really want us to stay together this time. Which is why I think we need to talk." I take his hands and sit down on the porch swing, pulling him down with me.

"Talk?" He asks, clearly still clueless.

"Yes. About why we broke up."

"Well, because I was an idiot." He offers with a bitter chuckle.

"That's not the only reason. I was only 16, and I just wasn't ready to be in that kind of serious relationship," I shrug.

"And because I kept blowing you off."

"That wasn't entirely your fault. Which brings me to another point. Is college gonna get in the way again?"

"I believe that we can make it work."

"What makes you think it'll be any easier this time?" I sigh. This isn't a fun conversation.

"Because you're 18 now, and because we're both mature enough to be in a relationship." He puts his arm around me and pulls me to him, and I rest my head on his shoulder.

"You know what I would love as my present for my 21st birthday?" Josh says suddenly.

"What?"

"I would love for you to move in with me."

note: Please review! It helps to know what you guys want and what I'm doing wrong. Thank you!


	4. Chapter 4

Mistaken

A/N: I wanted to get something up so you'd know I am continuing this story! If you can, spread this fic around to other people who ship joshaya! It will help me get it more noticed. Thank you!

"Josh, are you serious?" I say in hushed voice, looking around to make sure we haven't woken anyone up.

"Why not? I think it's a great idea."

"I'm in my senior year of high school. I don't know if it's time for us to take that big of a step," I wring my hands nervously.

"C'mon, it'll be fun. We can see each other every day," He grins.

"Josh, I can't. I don't think I'm ready," I say apologetically.

He suddenly gets quiet and avoids my eyes.

"Josh? I know you're really excited about this and I am too, but I just don't think I can commit that fully right now. And it's not that I don't want to, I just think that if we do, we'll break up. And I don't see the point in that." I explain in a gentle voice.

"So now you're the one who wants to wait?" Josh tries for a smile, but I can tell he's disappointed.

"I just think this is too important to rush into," I say reassuringly.

"Fine. It was a bad idea anyway," He admits.

"I know a place we can go and get some alone time," I offer, and I see him perk up.

"What kind of place?" Josh grins.

"You may not know this, but Florida has many hidden gems," I wiggle my eyebrows at him and lead him upstairs.

"Go get dressed and wait for me in your car," I instruct, pushing him into his room and then rushing over to mine.

I slip into a blue striped halter top and white high-waisted shorts, then I grab some money and a purse and head downstairs. Before going out to the driveway, I quickly scribble a note to Riley and her parents: "Josh and I went to run errands, be back later -M"

"Where are you taking me?" Josh grins as I plop down in the driver's seat and turn on the Jeep.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise," I smile back.

After ten minutes of me driving and Josh spouting a million guesses as to where we're going, I pull into a grassy area and park.

"Close your eyes." I command, pulling Josh out of the car and down a gravel street leading through the trees.

JOSH'S POV:

I keep my eyes squeezed shut like a perfectly obedient boyfriend until I hear her voice tell me to open them.

"Holy shit," I audibly gasp, completely shocked at the hidden gem of Florida that Maya has brought me to.

In front of me, there is a cobblestone pathway lined with orange trees and colorful flowers. The pathway ends at a sculpted marble fountain, and tall trees above provide shade but let in some golden sun rays, casting shadows against the picture perfect garden. The whole clearing is filled with fresh green grass and bushes of different ripe fruits.

"What is this place?" I ask in awe.

"Riley and I stumbled across it on a trek through the forest a couple years ago. We don't know who owns it, but since then it's become a sort of well-kept secret of ours."

Maya smiles softly, running her hand up and down the trunk of an orange tree.

She takes my hand and sits down on the fountain's edge, pulling out two sandwiches from her bag.

"Enjoy," She grins, eagerly biting into the bread. We eat for a while, and then we both lay on the grass, looking for clouds.

I turn my head to look at Maya. She looks so happy and beautiful. Her wavy blonde hair is splayed out on the grass, and her bright blue eyes scan the equally blue sky for oddly shaped clouds. Occasionally, her pink lips turn up into a smile when she finds a cloud she likes, and she points it out to me with excitement.

When she turns her head to look back at me, her cheeks turn pink.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She says in her amazingly sweet voice.

"I'm looking at the sky," I answer, and it's practically true. Her eyes look just like the sky, but better.

"You're so cheesy, Joshua Matthews." She laughs.

"I may be cheese, but I'm your cheese." I wink jokingly, and she bursts out laughing.

After a minute, she gets all serious and sits upright.

"I'm scared." She whispers, taking me by surprise.

"Of what?" I ask, sitting up.

"I don't know... Lots of things," She says, gazing up at the sky. I move closer and wrap my arm around her, and she rests her head on my shoulder.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"If I knew what I was scared of, then I'd tell you," She says, a hint of frustration in her voice.

"Whatever you're scared of, you've got me to help you."

"I know. And I love knowing that," She turns her head, her chin still on my shoulder as she smiles up at me.

"I love knowing that you love knowing that." I reply to get a giggle out of her. It works.


	5. Chapter 5

chapter 5:

A Year Later

"Not bad for a cheap apartment, huh?" Josh grins, snaking his arm around my waist as we stand in the doorway of our new home on the outskirts of New York.

"Not bad at all," I agree, reaching up to give him a peck on the lips.

"I don't wanna unpack." He sighs, and I giggle.

"C'mon baby, it'll be fun! We can decorate however we want." I nudge him with excitement.

"Fine. But only because you look adorable today." He relents.

"Well, I am wearing the dress you bought me for my birthday."

"Nineteen looks great on you, Maya." He smiles.

"Twenty two looks great on you, hun." I return the compliment with a wink.

"Maybe we could check out the bedroom before we unpack?" He leans in to whisper in my ear.

"I think you mean after. There's no furniture in there yet," I laugh, and he groans.

"Alright, let's get this over with."

"See, that wasn't so bad."

"Easy for you to say. I was doing all the heavy lifting." Josh collapses on the couch.

"Don't fall asleep now. You'll ruin your sleep schedule for your first day of work!" I exclaim, patting his chest.

"Just a little nap," He mumbles sleepily.

"Fine, but I'm waking you up soon." I sigh, and start to get up.

Josh grabs my hips before I can stand and pulls me back down next to him.

"Stay for a bit," He insists, and I can't help but give in.

"Okay."

I lean my head on his chest and close my eyes. He smells like home, and it isn't long before I'm asleep too.

"I'm glad we decided to wait before moving in together." I say softly as we cuddle on our couch that night.

"Me too." He replies, absentmindedly stroking my head.

We stay like that for a minute before I remember.

"There's something I wanna show you," I suddenly hop up from the couch.

"But we were so comfy here!" He groans.

"Let's go hun." I grab his hand and lead him outside our apartment and down the hall.

"Where are we going?" He asks.

"Shh,"

We open a door and I start climbing a ladder that's been propped up against the wall.

"Maya, what are you doing?"

"Stop asking so many questions!"

I reach the trapdoor at the top and push it open, hoisting myself up and out onto the roof.

"Damn," Josh looks around in awe.

The city looks beautiful from here; tall buildings with sparkling lights and a brightly glowing moon. I pat the blanket I laid out earlier and smile. He crawls over and sits next to me, slinging his arm around my shoulders.

"You never cease to amaze me, Maya Hart." He chuckles.

"It's one of my many talents." I shrug.

"What else are you good at?" He squeezes my shoulder and gives me a suggestive look.

"Joshua Matthews! We are on a roof!" My jaw drops and he laughs.

"I had to try," He wiggles his eyebrows.

"You're such a dork." I snuggle closer into his chest.

"You love me anyway."

"Okay, maybe a little."

"Good luck on your first day," I stand on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek.

"You too, M. See you tonight, okay?" He straightens the collar of his blue button-up and gives me a quick hug.

"Mhm." I nod and he walks out the door, turning to give me a smile before he closes it behind him.

I'm happy we were both able to find jobs. He's working as a marketer for a really cool tech company, and I landed a job as a photographer for the New York Times. I rush into my room and quickly throw on the outfit I picked out last night: a lilac flowing blouse which I tuck into my black high-waisted pencil skirt at the front. I slip my feet into black ankle boots and pull my straightened hair into a high ponytail. Slinging my bag over one shoulder, I grab my car keys and coffee from the counter and head out of the apartment.

I stand in front of the apartment door after a long and grueling day of work, digging through my bag for my keys. Upon opening the door, I gasp.

There's rose petals on the floor forming a path that leads around the corner, and candles are scattered across the room. I set down my things and follow the petals, gasping for a second time when I step into the dining room.

Our small table is covered in a satin tablecloth, a candelabra in the middle that gives the whole place a soft glow. The table is set for two, with a bottle of wine in between and a bouquet of roses resting on one of the chairs. I feel familiar hands being placed on my hips, and I whip around to face Josh.

"Surprise," Josh grins.

I laugh and kiss him, gripping his freshly washed hair and pulling him closer.

"You just had to one-up me in the surprise department, didn't you?" I say, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Damn right I did," Josh replies.

"Mm, what smells so good?" I pull away and rush over to the stove, the irresistible scent of pasta and chicken making my mouth water.

"Hey hey, sit down and let me serve you." He grips my shoulders and steers me to my seat. Seconds later, he places a steaming plate of delicious-looking food in front of me, and I quickly dig in while he pours me wine.

"You know I'm underage, don't you?" I joke between bites.

"I think you'll be fine," He smirks, digging into his own serving. I stop eating for a minute and just look at him. He notices me looking and stops eating too, and pretty soon we're both just enjoying each other's eyes on ours.

"I love you," He breathes, and I smile.

Unable to resist the urge to kiss him, I abruptly pull him out of his seat and do exactly that. His hands slip around my waist and mine wrap around his neck, our kiss deepening. There's a certain urgency to it now, like we just have to satiate this magnetic pull between us. Before I know it, my back presses against the wall and his lips move down to my jaw. I shudder and grip his shoulders as his kisses trail down my neck and collarbone, sending shivers through my whole body. He starts unbuttoning my top with one hand, never breaking our kiss. I inhale sharply as his cool hands roam my bare back and I manage to say "bedroom" before I completely lose control.

He tosses me onto the bed and lays on top of me, his arms holding his body inches away from mine. He sits up on his knees and pulls his shirt off, giving me a view of his toned chest. I hook my fingers under his belt and tug him down, lifting my body up to meet his lips.

I went through my old docs and found this, so here's a little bit more. If you guys really want me to keep going, I will :)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Opportunity on the Horizon

"Can we just stay here forever?" I murmur, nestled comfortably in Josh's chest wearing his shirt and my comfiest pajama shorts. He lifts a hand to stroke my head and laughs softly.

"I wish we could. But you have Riley's birthday party tonight, remember?" He nudges me.

A groan escapes my mouth before I can stop it. "I don't even know half the people that'll be there. It'd be so much better if it was just me and Riley."

"You know you have to go, Maya."

"Yeah, I know. But if I have to get up, so do you," I giggle and jump up from the bed, pulling him up by his arms.

"Good, because then I can do this." He grins, pulling my legs up and around his hips and setting me down on the dresser.

He plants a sweet kiss on my lips and pulls away.

"I'm getting some serious deja vu," He jokes.

"Really? We never do this," I say in mock astonishment.

"I know, right?" He answers, slipping a spare t-shirt over his head and handing me some actual clothes.

"Hey, you have a call from Cory." Josh remarks as my phone lights up on the dresser. "Hm," I reply, picking it up and wondering if it's about Riley's party.

"Hiya Cory."

"You need to get down here right now. I ran into someone you really need to meet." His tone is urgent, piquing my curiosity.

"Where exactly?"

"The coffee shop a few blocks east of your apartment."

"Okay, I'll be there soon."

Josh's hand rests idly on my leg as I hang up. "What was that about?"

"I don't know, but I'm gonna go find out." I reply, hopping down from my perch and giving him a peck on my way out.

—

"Maya!" Cory exclaims excitedly when I step through the café's doors. After greeting him with a hug, something - or rather, someone - catches my eye in the corner of the room.

Seated in a cushiony brown chair by the mural of a farm on the back wall, typing away furiously on a laptop is Anthony Limada, my journalistic idol. His scruffy black hair and five o'clock shadow makes him somehow look even better than all of the pictures I've seen of him combined. Brows furrowed, he sips his coffee with one hand, his other never breaking contact with the keyboard.

Cory notices my gaping jaw and nudges me with a wiggling eyebrow.

"Told you you'd wanna meet him," He murmurs out of the corner of his mouth.

Anthony looks up from his very consuming type-fest and shoots me a smile. My heart pounds incessantly in my chest, but I steel myself to walk towards his table (although Cory's hand guiding me forward certainly helps).

"This must be Ms. Hart." He utters in a husky voice.

"Just Maya is fine." Miraculously, my voice holds.

"Pleased to meet you, Maya."

When he stands to shake my hand, I catch a whiff of all my favorite aromas: coffee, books, and tasteful cologne. How is this man even real?

"Pleasure's all mine." I answer with a smile, somewhat calmly.

"Have a seat, we were just talking about your work." Cory pulls out my chair and I sit down, still starstruck. It's not every day you get to meet your idol.

"Really? All good things, I hope," I say nervously, and Anthony chuckles. God, his teeth are perfect too. Celebrities are on a whole other level.

"Definitely." Anthony grins. "I've seen your work, and you've got some exquisite pieces."

Holy hell, the 22-year-old wunderkind Anthony Limada, famed journalist and exposer of countless corrupt politicians and CEOs, called my photographs exquisite.

"Thank you," My smile refuses to be contained.

"I was mentioning to Cory here that I'm assembling a 'journalist dream team' of sorts to conquer a new project with me: an irrefutable exposé of corrupt tax breaks for the rich and their neglect for American ideals." He explains eloquently, motioning with his hands.

"It sounds like an amazing project," I answer, my heart still beating uncontrollably.

"It really is. My team of three journalists and myself are going to spend a month or two examining the poverty divide in a variety of American cities. And I'd love for you to join us as our official photographer."

My heart completely stops at this point.

"M-me?"

"Yes, you. That is, if you can submit an application to the board for your approval, which I'm sure is almost guaranteed."

My eyes widen and my brain is attempting to wrap itself around the whole concept.

"What does an application entail?" I manage.

"A portfolio of your best photos. Anything shocking, moving, inspiring, et cetera."

"Great," I smile widely, my excitement overwhelming me.

"I have matters to attend to, but here's my card." He hands me a card with his name and email address. "Send me your portfolio by this Friday, and I'm sure I can persuade the board to allow you on the trip." He shakes my hand and Cory's, packs up his laptop, and is gone as mysteriously as he appeared.

I finally calm my heartbeat and turn to face Cory. His smug smile and raised eyebrows expectantly wait for me to thank him.

"Matthews, thank you thank you thank you!" I squeal, launching myself at him for a hug.

"I saw him when I was ordering coffee and recognized him from your 'journalist hall of fame' you made when you started work at NYT." Cory grins. "We started talking and I mentioned you and your talent."

"This trip could seriously change my life." I shake my head in disbelief. "I gotta go tell Josh!"

"Go for it. I'll see you later," Cory motions to the door.

"Bye, Cors. Thanks a ton," I flash him a smile and practically skip out the café's doors.

—

"That's crazy, Maya!" Josh is exactly as ecstatic as I hoped he'd be, and it just overwhelms me with appreciation for him.

"I know! And I already know have a portfolio to submit," I say quickly, grabbing my laptop and setting up on the dining table.

"So, how long's the trip?" He asks, digging through the fridge for dinner.

"That's sort of a downside. It'll be a month or more, since we'll be going to a bunch of different states."

I notice his face fall.

"What about your job at the Times?" He subtly turns so I can't see his face.

"I called my boss, and since Anthony was his protege he'll let me go as a favor to him." I wring my hands nervously. Josh needs to be okay with this.

"So I won't be seeing you for a while, then." He walks over to me and brushes hair out of my face gently, his tone bittersweet.

"If they even approve me."

His lips crack into a small smile.

"Of course they'll approve you. Your work is amazing."

I smile and lean into him, arms wrapping around his waist. I feel a kiss on the top of my head.

We'll be okay.


End file.
